Wheel construction



Get. 30, 1923.

E. C. WESTERFIELD WHEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed Nv. 15,

Patented 3Q, 1923.

EVERETT C. VESTERFIELD, OF

fre n :fr fait TYRONE, GKLAHOMA.

'WHEEL CONSTRUCTEUR'.

To all wlw/m, t may conce/rn.'

Be it known that l, Evnnn'r'r C. VVF/erna rmLD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tyrone, in the county of Texas and State of lrlahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lil/*heel `onstructions, of which the following is a full and complete speciiications reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a wheel construction adapted to be used on plowed or listed ground in connection with devices and vehicles used in the cultivation of the ground.

The present invention has more specific relation to a wheel construction adapted to be used on plowed or listed ground in connection with a. tractor or othere similar device in which tractive edort is transmitted. through the wheel structure to the ground.

lt is an object of this invention to provide a duplez; wheel construction which will permit the wheel to straddle the row crop, thereby permitting thorough cultivation of the same.

lt is a further object of the invention to provide a wheel construction in which the rim members are so designed that they will remain open and ride the inclined sides of the ridges on either side of the row crop without the constant attention of an operator and without packingof the ground about theI roots of the plant.

A still further object of the invention, when utilized for tractive purposes, is the provision of traction surfaces so disposed with relation to the periphery of the wheel as to insure positive gripping of the tractor wheel `in the inclined surfaces of the ridges on listed ground, at the same time making unnecessary the changing of the traction surfaces in any way or the einployment of fill blocks when the tractor is driven over lawns, roadways, etc.

lt is a still further object of this invention to produce such a wheel that will be simple and inexpensive in construction and positive and reliable in its operation.

Other advantages resulting from this wheel construction will be evident to those skilled in the art on a consideration of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing.

To better illustrate the 1resent invention, reference is now had to the accompanying drawings in which one form therco'f disclosed.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of this form of my improved traction wheel shown with one portion partly in section;

2 is a cross section on line Q-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig'. 3 a vertical sectional view of a slightly modified form of my wheel.

In the drawings A represents .an erle of an ordinary power tractor which may be either the driving or the driven axle on which is mounted hub 10 provided wit1 two' spaced annular collars 11 and 12 to which are attached a pair of web members 13 and 1d by bolts or rivets 15. The said web members 13 and 1-1 ar preferablr formed with cut out portions to li frhten the wheel and effect a saving in mate...c l. A pair of rim portions 16 and 17 are formed at the periphery of each of said web mein-v bers by bending or otherwise treating the web members adjacent their perinherv to provide a flat surface at substantially richt angles to said web portions and out-iiari 5 ridge engaging and traction surfaces 18 and 19 an angle substantially 45 thereto. Extensions 20 and 21 of the angular tread portions 18 and 19 may be provided so as to extend parallel to the web portions 13 and 111. These extensions are particularly7 ap. plicable to the smaller driven forewheels such as are illustrated in F ig. 3. where the angular tread portions 1S and 19 are comparatively short thus preventing soil from entering the annular recess formed between the angular tread portions 18 and 1.9 and the web members 13 and 14.

llilhen the wheel is used for trat-tivo` effort, cleats or lugs 22 may be rigidly secured to the angular tread portions 18 and 19 of the rims 16 and 17 by bolts or rivets 23 or formed integral therwith being so disposed with relation thereto as not to extend to the periphery thereof. Brace irons 24E are rigidly secured to the inner surfaces of each of said web members 13 and 14 and serve to maintain the said members in uniform spaced relation.

Heretofore it has been impracticable to employ power tractors in connection with apparatus for the cultivation of listed ground, inasmuch as the tractor wheels not being designed to remain upon the ridges slide from one side of the ridges to the other resulting in the breaking down of the ridges and the consequent damage to the crop. rilraction wheels heretofore in use have necessitated the removal of or otherwise changing the traction surfaces or the insertion oi till blocks between each pair oi cleats or lugs whenever the tractor to be driven over lawns7 roadways7 etc., as, 'for instance7 'from one lield to another with the constant. loss ottime and added expense to construction and equipment. f

To obriate these dranf'backs and permit of the use ot power tractors for the cultivation ot listed crops, I provide a wheel composed ot two web portions7 each rotating from acentral hub member and spaced apart so as to straddle the row cro-p, each oi' said web portions being provided adjacent their periphery nf'ith tlaring `inclined tread portions adapted to ride the inclined surfaces of two adjacent ridges bounding the row erop, thus supporting the weight oi: the tractor on the ridges and preventing the soil from being packed about the tender roots oi the young plants. The rim portion ot said web members also provides a 'flattened surface at substantially right angles to said web members adjoining the periphery oi' said web members and said inclined tread portions, thus providing a smooth rini adapted to support and prevent the traction surfaces of the inclined tread portions trom engaging with and damaging lawns, roadways, etc.7 over which the tractor may be driven when transport-ing cultivating apparatus from one field to another.

t is to be understood that vthe present in- `Vention is susceptible ot' Variation from the specilic embodiment;thereof herein set forth and that the same may be modrtied within 'the scope of the appended claims.

Vilhat l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A tractor wheel having a hub7 a pair of spaced spoke members mounted thereon, each of said spol-:e members having a tread member with a portion bent back and inwardly with respect to the axis et the hub to forni inclined tread portions ent-ending away from the median plane'oii the rim.

2. A tractor Vwheel having a hub, a pair oi spaced spoke members mounted thereon, each oi said spoke men'ibers having a tread member lwhich Yis bent back and inwardly with respect to the anis of the hub to 'form inclined tread portionsextending away from the median pla-ne oi the wheel, and driving lugs carried by said tread portions.

A' tractor Vwheel comprising a spoke portion, a circumferential rim7 said rim having a tread portion extending parallel to the axis kol1A said hub to form a Aflat tread and a second tread portion inwardly inclined at an angle to said spoke portion to torni a ridge engaging tread.

1l. A tractor wheel comprising a hub, av

spoke portion, a circumferential rim, saidY rim 'having a tread portion extending parhub,

allel to the axis or" said hub to iform a fiat]A tread, a. second tread portion inwardly inclined at `an angle to said spoke Vportion to torni a ridge engaging tread anda plurality ot driil'inglngs carried by said second tread portion. a 'l 5.. in a tractor wheel, a hub, a spoke mem'- la-cr mounted on the hub, a flat treadcarried by said spoke member, a second spoke mem bei` mounted on the` hub and carrying a; flat l tread spaced Jfrom said iirst flat tread, a

fange carried on'the outer edge of each at, and inclined outwardly toward the -i ot said hub.

in a tractor wheel, a hub, a pair of spaced spoke members mounted upon said hub, and a tread portion carried by each of said spoke members extendingoutwardly from each of said spoke members away from he median plane of said hub and inclined towards the axis oi said hub.

7. ln a tractor wheel, a hub, a pair of spaced spoke members mounted upon 'said hub, a tread portion carried byI each of said spoke members extending outwardly from each of said spoke' members awayfrom the median planeoit said hub and inclined towards the axis of said hub and driving lugs carried by said tread portion. Y

ln testimony whereotl l have hereuntol set my hand.

EVERETT G. lVESTERFIELD. 

